service

My husband watched in shock as Afghan allies clung to the sides of U.S. aircraft, hoping to escape the Taliban take-over. He cringed as some fell to their death on the abandoned tarmac. And he was not alone.

Thousands of U.S. troops spent time in Afghanistan fighting the war on terror. My husband spent just nine months there. He came home physically unharmed—but mentally, he formed an attachment to the people and their need for a stable government and freedom. For many U.S. veterans who fought in that nation, the debacle of that exit feels like a defeat. The same failure our Veterans from Vietnam and Korea felt. These men and women faithfully obeyed when duty called. They are not losers.

The responsibility to honor their sacrifice and courage rests on our shoulders.

“Whereas the first nationwide observance of Veterans Day was on November 11, 1954: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That Congress hereby— (1) encourages Americans to demonstrate their support for veterans on Veterans’ Day by treating that day as a special day of remembrance;” (117 STAT. 2958 CONCURRENT RESOLUTIONS—OCTOBER 31, 2003).

According to the Department of Veterans Affairs data, around 19 million U.S. veterans populate these great United States. That’s close to one in ten adults.

• 18.2 million living veterans served during at least one war as of 2018.
• 9% of veterans are women.
• 7 million veterans served during the Vietnam War.
• 3 million veterans have served in support of the War on Terrorism.
• Of the 16 million Americans who served during World War II, about 325,000 were still alive as of 2020.
• 2 million veterans served during the Korean War.

As followers of Jesus, we not only have a national responsibility to give honor to who honor is due (Romans 13:7), we must also be mindful of Kingdom soldiers suffering for their faith.

“Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated—since you

yourselves are in the body also.” Hebrews 13:3

A map from the Voice of the Martyrs hangs in my study. The band of blackened countries representing nations where the Christian faith is illegal reveals an ominous reality. Among those nations lies North Korea (a war the U.S. lost), Vietnam (another failed military action), and most Middle Eastern countries. The other surprising fact is that many of those middle eastern countries once housed the infant church of the first century.

Jesus asks us a poignant question, “when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8).

Today by faith, let us remember not only American veterans; let us pray for our brothers and sisters worldwide who lay down their lives for the One who died for them. Those Kingdom veterans storming the gates of hell to recuse those lost in darkness need our prayer support as much as our U.S. troops need to be honored.

Here are a few ideas of what we can do:

• Write a thank-you note to veterans you know personally.
• Attend a parade
• If you home school, teach about the founding of Veteran’s Day earlier in the week, make the 11th a day to remember for your students.
• If you send your kids to public school, you can pull them out for a special day of homeschooling and take them to a parade.
• Post a “thank you for your service; you are not forgotten” banner in your front yard.
• Set aside a meal and spend that time fasting and praying for persecuted Christians.

These dark days—filled with wars and rumors of war—will end. Soon our King of Kings will come, and a glorious day of freedom will dawn. Until that day, let’s shine in this darkness by sharing our gratitude and concern for all the veterans.